ALFRED, NY -- Soaring to stupendous heights last season, the Saxons set sights on so much more. 

Head Coach Tracy Blake's men made a marvelous run to end last season, just missing out on a chance at a conference championship in dreaded penalty kick fashion. For the Alfred University men's soccer team, it was just a taste of what's possible for them to experience - with the hopes of getting there once again.

"The goal always is to make the playoffs, that's just the number one goal," Blake said. "Then after that, we have secondary and tertiary goals ... can we get home field advantage, and can we maintain that and win the tournament? Every program gets better every year, and I think we've gotten quite a bit better."

Blake's group is led by Gavin Culley, who skyrocketed to life in his first year with eight goals in 18 games and 17 starts as the leading scorer. In the midfield, Rodrigo Perez also looks to hold his ground and be a key provider connecting plays. All of them will be led by three captains: the aforementioned Perez, Noam Sokolosvky, and Justin Eaton. 

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the group is between the posts. Only two goaltenders, Connor Russell and Tyler Mulholland will be suiting up for the Saxons in one position on the field where programs usually have at least three or more netminders. Mulholland now heads into his second year with the team after appearing in five games last season, while Russell's first year will see him get plenty of game time. With two young goaltenders, and only one of them a returning player, should there be any concern in the back?

"Mulholland was strong enough to be a starter last year," Blake said. "We got very fortunate to bring in Connor Russell and he will push Tyler (Mulholland) for the starting spot. Two goaltenders is not normally enough, but they're both going to compete."
 
Looking at the rest of the team, eight seniors look to make one last great run while also leading the way for a big recruiting class of nine first-year students - with a good number of international students filling in. A strong group with tons of faces also gives Blake lots more opportunities to look at his 34-man squad and who ends up playing where. 

It's a great problem to have for the coaching staff - lots of people with so few spaces on the team. They'll all push one another to their limit to keep the entire team competitive and ready to go once it's time for kickoff, in the hope the same competitiveness is shown to their opponent as they strive for the same goal. 

"We're excited for them to compete and show what they've got," Blake said. "I do have a top 16 and bottom 16 now, and it's up to the top 16 to maintain their spot and it's up to the bottom 16 to try and get up into the top."

Thanks to preseason games and hours of practice and preparation, the entire group should be ready to compete and just get one step further to the Empire 8 Championship game in November. It all starts this weekend with two games this weekend at Elizabethtown College and Lebanon Valley College on Friday and Saturday respectively.